Fire extinguishing waste paper receptacle



Oct. 26, 1948. D. A. FLORENCE 1 FIRE EXTINGUISHING WASTE PAPER RECEPTACLE Filed June 4, 1945 Patented Oct. 26, 1948 FIRE EXTINGUISHING WASTE PAPER RECEPTACLE Dewey A. Florence, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application June 4, 1946, Serial No. 674,308

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in receptacles, more specifically in receptacles for Waste paper and the like, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a receptacle with a normally open cover, said cover automatically closing in the event that the contents of the receptacle become ignited.

A further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which, by virtue of the construction and operation above outlined, is of a highly safe character and which will appreciably minimize, or totally eliminate, sources of fire which frequently occur when using waste receptacles of conventional design.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which is simple in construction, dependable in operation and which cannot easily become damaged.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a receptacle in which the automatic closing device is actuated by the melting of a replaceable, fusible link, the replacement of which may be easily and conveniently undertaken.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects in view and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a vertical, cross sectional view of the invention, illustrating the same in the open position.

Figure 2 is a vertical, cross sectional view thereof, but showing the same in the closed position.

Figure 3 is a vertical, cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail illustrating a hinge used in the invention, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the fusible link used in the same.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention mbodies in its construction a container designated generally by the reference character ID, the same assuming any con- Venlent form and being open at the top thereof. A suitable cover II is hingedly connected as at l2 to the container H, the hinge l2 including a, coil spring or springs l3, which are adapted to urge the cover into its closed position as illustrated in Figure 2.

The cover I l is normally held in the open position by supporting means designated generally by the reference character I4, this consisting of a substantially J-shaped arm I5, pivotly connected at the end of its relatively long arm, as at [6, to a bracket ll, secured to the underside of the cover I l.

A length of chain I8 is secured at one end thereof to the remaining end of the arm l5, while the remaining end of the chain is secured to a suitable bracket l9. This bracket is mounted on the inner surface of the lateral Wall of the container [0 as will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings. A fusible link 20, melting at a predetermined degree of temperature (approximately degrees Fahrenheit) is interposed into the length of the chain I8, th necessary connection being facilitated by providing the link 20 with apertures 2|, to receive the adjacent links of the chain.

It will be noted that the relative positioning of the brackets l1 and I9 is such that the supporting means M will normally retain the cover II in the open position, as aforesaid.

In the event that the contents of the container l0 become ignited, the melting of the link 28 will separate the chain l8, thus allowing the arm [5, together with the associated cover H to drop under the influence of the springs 13 into the closed position.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is considered unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention:

A receptacle comprising in combination, a container open at the top thereof, a cover on said open top, a hinge connecting said cover to said container, a spring associated with said hinge and urging said cover into the closed position, and supporting means comprising an arm pivotally connected at one end thereof to the underside of said cover, a length of chain connected at one end thereof to the remaining end of said arm, the

- remaining end 01. said chain being secured to the lateral wall of said container, and. a fusible link REFERENCES CITED interposed into the length of said chain, said e following references are of record in the supporting means normally holding said cover in file Of thls Patent: the open p it the melting of said link s p 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS rating said chain and causing the closing of said nb r N m D t cover under the influence of said s rin i 1 e a e a e p g 1,606,935 Haas Nov. 16, 1926 

